The Guardian is on the lookout for a special project to support with a cash donation.

Grants are being offered by the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of the owner of Newsquest Media group, who publish the East London and West Essex Guardian Series.

The foundation provides funding to support local projects and organisations in areas where Newsquest operates throughout the UK.

In the past 10 years, the foundation has given more than £4 million grants in the UK.

The foundation values projects that bring lasting benefits to the communities and neighbourhoods served by our newspapers.

That includes schemes for neighbourhood improvement and local problem-solving, economic development, youth development, education and cultural creativity, help for the disadvantaged or disabled and environmental conservation.

Typically our grants are made for substantial projects which require and merit awards of between £5,000 and £10,000.

St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood

Last year, St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood Road, Hastingwood, was awarded a £5,500 grant by the Gannett Foundation.

St Clare Hospice, which opened in 1990, is visited by thousands of people looking for palliative care for people.

The £5,500 grant paid for five new medical syringes, which decreases the number of injections needed to be given to patients.

St Clare medical director Dr John Zeppetella said: “We are extremely grateful to the Gannett Foundation for awarding us this grant of £5,500.

“The syringe drivers are a really valuable piece of medical equipment, not only allowing us to make our patients, both here at the hospice and those we care for in their own homes, more comfortable by alleviating their physical symptoms, but also improving their quality of life."

Dr Zeppetella said such donations were essential to keep the hospice up and running.

He added: “Only 30 per cent of our £2.8million running costs are funded by the NHS, so we rely on donations from grant-giving trusts like the Gannett Foundation to help us generate the income we need to continue providing our incredible care to local people facing the end of life and their families, and we would like to thank them for supporting their local Hospice in this way.”

How to apply

The foundation will consider more modest applications, but it encourages imaginative and ambitious projects on a bigger scale.

The foundation can join with other contributors to support elements of larger projects.

While preference may be given to ideas which create a durable legacy for the community, the foundation will consider single events or projects of limited duration that otherwise meet the criteria.

Prospective applicants must be registered charities, and must not have received Gannett funding in the past two years.

The foundation will not fund: Salaries, professional fees or day-to-day running or maintenance costs; General appeals as opposed to specific projects; Projects that do not bring benefits to local communities; Political or religious organisations; State or privately run schools (other than special needs) or hospitals (other than hospices).

We will favour projects that demonstrate good planning, oversight and financial responsibility. You must supply copies of your most recent accounts (where required by the Charities Commission) or other appropriate financial information, together with any supporting materials and details of your organisation’s managing committee.

To apply for a Gannett Foundation grant from this office the charity must be served by the Waltham Forest Guardian, Wanstead & Woodford Guardian, Epping Forest Guardian or Chingford Guardian.

Applications must be submitted on the official application form and scanned in and sent to guardian@london.newsquest.co.uk.

Please note we will only accept electronic applications.

The closing date for nominations for a Gannett grant is October 10 and there will be no extensions to this date.

Download an application form here.